Best Travel Insurance for the Camino Frances

[KarmaCamino]

Hi Everyone

I am leaving to start my Camino on the 26th of April and am sorting some travel insurance.
I just wondered if anyone had found a company that covers this sort of trip.
Many thanks
Viv

 

[Molly Cassidy]

Staysure seem to have some good deals on long trip and multi-trip insurance. Depending on your age and how long you plan to stay annual multi-trip can be cheaper and will cover you for any other holidays. The max individual trip with multi-trip is 50 days if you're under 70, but only 35 days if you're over 70.

 

[dougfitz]

Which.co.uk has recently updated their page on Travel Insurance (here). You might need to find somewhere like a local library that can arrange access.

 

[BobY333]

Not sure if it's available in the UK, but I use the aggregator squaremouth.com to buy travel insurance. You put in your trip details and it gives quotes from multiple insurers with multiple different coverages. Fortunately, I have not had to make a claim!

 

[trecile]

I just wondered if anyone had found a company that covers this sort of trip.

As far as travel insurance goes, you don't need special insurance for the Camino.

Edit - see my post below. Yes, definitely buy travel insurance, but you don't need a special type of travel insurance for the Camino.

 

[lt56ny]

As far as travel insurance goes, you don't need special insurance for the Camino.

I have to disagree with that. I have had trials and tribulations on the Camino where I had to go to hospitals etc and without Travel Insurance I would have had to have paid some significant money. I think for 95% of people it may be unnecessary but as I age more issues are possible and I want to be covered.

 

[trecile]

I have to disagree with that. I have had trials and tribulations on the Camino where I had to go to hospitals etc and without Travel Insurance I would have had to have paid some significant money. I think for 95% of people it may be unnecessary but as I age more issues are possible and I want to be covered.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I didn't mean that you don't need insurance at all, just that regular garden variety travel insurance works for the Camino.

 

[Molly Cassidy]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I didn't mean that you don't need insurance at all, just that regular garden variety travel insurance works for the Camino.

Yes, you just need to be sure that if you have annual multi-trip it will cover you for the length of trip you plan. Multi-trip insurance seems to be cheaper in a lot of cases but time limits vary.

 

[marty gerber]

Hi Everyone

I am leaving to start my Camino on the 26th of April and am sorting some travel insurance.
I just wondered if anyone had found a company that covers this sort of trip.
Many thanks
Viv

Here's a company to avoid. I walked the Camino last September, had insurance from AIG. Had a fall down some stone steps in

Hi Everyone

I am leaving to start my Camino on the 26th of April and am sorting some travel insurance.
I just wondered if anyone had found a company that covers this sort of trip.
Many thanks
Viv

Here's a company to avoid: AIG. I walked the Camino last September, had a fall down some stone steps in the small city of Estella, leading to a dislocated middle finger on my left hand and (as the docs say) assorted contusions, abrasions and lacerations. Folks at the albergue called an ambulance which took me to a hospital 2k away. In the ER, the finger was reset—and the one next to it was dislocated in a frenzied removal—for absolutely no reason—of the wedding band that had been there for 40 years. (But that's another story.) Upon release, I paid 885 euros via credit card (600 of it for the ambulance), and have been totally unable to get AIG to reimburse me even though it's the kind of accident clearly covered by my policy. I filed all the paperwork they asked me for, and the company simply refuses to pay and ignores me. At one point, they asked for a statement from the treating doc, which I told them was beyond my power to provide, and besides, all the specifics of what the ER did were clearly described in the paid bill I submitted to AIG for my 885 euros. So I don't know who you should get your travel insurance from, but if you don't want to be a patsy for a ripoff like I was, it definitely should not be AIG.

 

[4sallypat]

I use Allianz insurance for evacuation & medical coverage for single trips that cover the duration you request.

Last time I went to northern British Columbia to fish for steelhead in remote areas that do not have cellular reception, it was $200 for the 2 week duration.

Small price to pay for possible expensive helicopter medevac flight out of the remote wilderness in Canada.

My satellite phone rental costed more than the trip insurance.

 

[Former member 99816]

Here's a company to avoid: AIG. I walked the Camino last September, had a fall down some stone steps ... if you don't want to be a patsy for a ripoff like I was, it definitely should not be AIG.

Thank you Marty. Good to know how/if insurance works when you actually get hurt or sick.
Better info than "I bought xxx insurance and nothing happened to me..."

 

[trecile]

Thank you Marty. Good to know how/if insurance works when you actually get hurt or sick.
Better info than "I bought xxx insurance and nothing happened to me..."

I had Travelex insurance in 2019, and I had to file a claim when I required stitches after a fall. My regular health insurance reimbursed me for most of the bill, and Travelex paid the rest. Their claims process was easy and quick.

 

[CWBuff]

I like Travelex as well. It's the travel insurance I use all the time for my expensive (and especially) out of the country trips.
I questioned them about Camino and was told that they consider it to be a"regular" sort of a trip no special policy addendum (ie sports etc) required.
And that's what I bought for my upcoming Camino

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I was insured with Alianz and managed to catch Legionella in an albergue. While Alianz eventually paid it was a difficult process where they did their best to do nothing except, notably, having one of their staff phone the hospital and fraudulently pretend to be my wife in an attempt to get around the EU privacy regulations.

I would not use Alianz again.

 

[KarmaCamino]

Thank you all for your replies and advice.
I certainly know who to avoid and will investigate the recommendations.
Viv

 

[Wendykin]

Any comments on Costco travel insurance?

 

[naplesdon]

I have always used Allianz for trip interruption, etc. Fortunately, I have never had to use it and now the airlines are getting a lot more liberal about their cancellation and change fees. Several months ago someone mentioned InsureMy Trip which appears to be an aggregator who promotes many companies with many kinds of coverage plans. Due to my age and health I am seriously thinking about consulting them for a 3 week trip I have planned for late August and September to Spain and France. I am going to France late in April and other than purchasing the airline's Allianz plan, I plan to go self insured.

 

[DaveFrew]

I've used Explorer Travel Insurance for longer Camino trips and have always found them very reasonable.
My normal bank annual travel insurance does not cover me for more than 30 days at any one time.

 

[Marbe2]

I once needed hospitalization in Europe The total medical bill was about $15,000, ambulance was $1000. Plus trip interruption amounted to about $2000. Allianz paid it all. At the time there was no time limitations on payoff . Iti was good because the hospital took 9 months to Send me the supportive documentation. Do read the fine print on your policy. Some companies have time limits for claims.

 

[SeñorJacques]

I am using World Nomads for my upcoming Camino this spring based on recommendations from a few travel blogs I follow, including at least one person who used it on their own Camino. It's comprehensive and priced competitively, and based on the interactions I've had with them with questions about the policies I was considering their customer support is friendly and responsive.

Travel Insurance

Instant travel and holiday insurance for 140 countries. Simple and flexible travel insurance I Buy and compare plans online!

www.worldnomads.com

 

[odonnwp]

In 2021 I went down in an albergue, from dehydration and low BP. 2 EKG's, an ambulance ride and visit to an Urgent Care Ctr, then another ambulance ride to the University Hospital in Burgos with an overnight stay there, blood testing, a Covid test and 3 bags of IV fluid and the charge was zero. Maybe I was not charged because I was in overnight in an observation ward and not actually admitted. Anyway, I did have Allianz insurance, but was not asked for it, or payment in any form. Returning in September, 2022 to resume our trek.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I simply bought travel insurance with my airline ticket this year .
I fell in Ciraqui and had to go to the ER in Estella.
The bill was around €350 and my travel insurance covered it all.
Definitely worth the cost.